Conventionally, there are apparatuses which change a position of an object placed in three dimensional virtual space, based on a user's input. For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-176164 (hereinafter, referred to as Patent Literature 1) discloses an apparatus that changes item positions, in accordance with input instructions given via operation buttons.
However, in the apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 1, in sorting the items placed in a predetermined order, it is difficult to understand the positional relationship of the items from an operation screen, on which the sorting is performed, during the sort operation.
An object of the present invention is to provide a computer-readable storage medium, a display control apparatus, a display control method, and a display control system, which are capable of clearly displaying the positional relationship of one or more objects.
In order to achieve the object, the present invention employs the following features.
An example of a computer-readable storage medium of the present invention is a computer-readable storage medium having stored therein a display control program for simultaneously displaying one or more objects on a first display area, and one or more symbol images, which correspond to the one or more objects, respectively, on a second display area. The display control program causes a computer to function as symbol image display control means and object display control means. The symbol image display control means displays the one or more symbol images on the second display area, according to an order thereof. The object display control means places the one or more objects, which correspond to the one or more symbol images displayed on the second display area, respectively, at predetermined positions, with which the order of the one or more symbol images is associated, in a virtual space, and displaying the one or more objects on the first display area.
In another configuration example, the display control program may further cause the computer to function as move operation detecting means for detecting a move operation of at least one symbol image of the one or more symbol images displayed on the second display area, based on an input from an input device. The symbol image display control means may include symbol image move means for moving the at least one symbol image of the one or more symbol images displayed on the second display area to a position, in accordance with the move operation, and the object display control means may include object move means for moving at least one object of the one or more objects, which corresponds to the respective at least one symbol image, to a virtual space position corresponding to the position of the respective at least one symbol image moved by the symbol image move means.
According to the above configuration example, while performing the move operation of the symbol image, a user is able to verify, in real time, the position of the object which corresponds to the symbol image, in the virtual space, and thereby properly move a desired object to a desired position. Also, moving the symbol image allows the corresponding object to be moved, and therefore it is easy to determine the object to be moved, and designate the destination, as compared to directly moving the object in the virtual space. On the first display area, there is no need for displaying a cursor, a pointer, or the like, which is used for the determination of the object to be moved and designation of the destination. Therefore, the visibility of the first display area and reality are retained.
In still another configuration example, the symbol image display control means may include order change means for changing an order position of the at least one symbol image, based on the position of the at least one symbol image at a time point when the move operation of the at least one symbol image is ended.
According to the above configuration example, the user can easily change the order position of any of the symbol images.
In still another configuration example, the symbol image display control means may include: determination means for determining whether another of the one or more symbol images is displayed at the position of the at least one symbol image at a time point when the move operation of the at least one symbol image is ended; and order interchange means for interchanging an order position of the at least one symbol image with an order position of the another of the one or more symbol images, in the case where a determination result obtained by the determination means is affirmative.
According to the above configuration example, the user can easily interchange placement areas of any two symbol images with each other.
In still another configuration example, the object move means may move the at least one object for the move operation to a position at a height different from a height at which the other of the one or more objects is positioned, while the move operation is in progress.
According to the above configuration example, the user can easily discriminate the object for the move operation from the other objects, while watching the first display area.
In still another configuration example, the input device may include a pointing device configured to designate a position in the second display area.
According to the above configuration example, the user is able to perform intuitive move operation.
In still another configuration example, the input device may include a touch panel provided on the second display area, and the move operation may include an operation of moving a touch position while the touch panel is being touched.
According to the above configuration example, the user is able to perform intuitive move operation.
In still another configuration example, the display control program may further cause the computer to function as move operation detecting means for detecting a move operation of at least one symbol image of the one or more symbol images displayed on the second display area, based on an input from an input device, the symbol image display control means may include symbol image move means for moving the at least one symbol image of the one or more symbol images displayed on the second display area in accordance with the move operation, and the display control program may further cause the computer to function as object automatic control means for automatically moving the one or more objects, in accordance with a predetermined algorithm, and independently of current positions of the respective one or more symbol images on the second display area, while the move operation is not in progress.
According to the above configuration example, the objects in the virtual space appear more attractive, interesting the user.
In still another configuration example, the object automatic control means may automatically move the one or more objects a predetermined time after the move operation is no longer performed.
According to the above configuration example, a time period from the completion of the move operation until the object is automatically moved in accordance with the predetermined algorithm can be secured.
In still another configuration example, at a time point when the move operation is started, the object automatic control means may move the one or more objects corresponding to the respective one or more symbol images, to respective virtual space positions corresponding to the current positions of the one or more symbol images on the second display area.
According to the above configuration example, at a time point when the move operation is started, the positional relationship between the objects displayed on the first display area matches the positional relationship between the respective symbol images displayed on the second display area, and therefore the user can properly perform the move operation, while watching the first display area.
In still another configuration example, the display control program may further cause the computer to function as display scale control means for controlling a display scale of the virtual space displayed on the first display area, and when the move operation is started, the display scale control means may reduce the display scale.
According to the above configuration example, a range of the virtual space displayed on the first display area is expanded when the move operation is started, thereby allowing the user to easily understand the positional relationship between the objects.
In still another configuration example, when the move operation is ended, the display scale control means may increase the display scale.
According to the above configuration example, the display scale of the virtual space displayed on the first display area is increased when the move operation is ended, thereby allowing the user to easily understand the detail of the objects positioned in the virtual space.
In still another configuration example, the first display area and the second display area may be provided in two display devices having different display types, respectively.
In still another configuration example, the first display area may be provided in a display device which allows stereoscopic vision, and the second display area may be provided in a display device which does not allow stereoscopic vision.
In still another configuration example, the display control program may further cause the computer to function as symbol image generating means for generating a symbol image corresponding to a respective object of the one or more objects, by rendering at least a part of the respective object.
According to the above configuration example, a symbol image can be generated as necessary, which reduces the necessity of previously preparing the symbol image, and the storage area.
In still another configuration example, the symbol image display control means may place the one or more symbol images, according to the order thereof, a plurality of placement areas previously set, respectively, and displays the one or more symbol images on the second display area.
In still another configuration example, the symbol image display control means may display the plurality of placement areas on the second display area in a state which allows a user to view borders between the plurality of placement areas.
According to the above configuration example, the user can easily understand the positions of the placement areas by watching the second display area.
In still another configuration example, the symbol image display control means may display, in a list format, the one or more symbol images on the second display area, according to the order thereof.
In still another configuration example, the symbol image display control means may display, in a menu format, the one or more symbol images on the second display area, according to the order thereof.
The display control program can be stored in any computer-readable storage medium (such as flexible discs, hard disks, optical discs, magneto-optical disks, CD-ROMs, CD-Rs, magnetic tapes, semiconductor memory cards, ROMs, and RAMs).
An example of the display control apparatus of the present invention is a display control apparatus for simultaneously displaying one or more objects on a first display area, and one or more symbol images, which correspond to the one or more objects, respectively, on a second display area, the display control apparatus includes symbol image display control means for displaying the one or more symbol images on the second display area, according to an order thereof, and object display control means for placing the one or more objects, which correspond to the one or more symbol images displayed on the second display area, respectively, at predetermined positions, with which the order of the one or more symbol images is associated, in a virtual space, and displaying the one or more objects on the first display area.
An example of the display control method of the present invention is a display control method for simultaneously displaying one or more objects on a first display area, and one or more symbol images, which correspond to the one or more objects, respectively, on a second display area, the display control method includes a symbol image display control step of displaying the one or more symbol images on the second display area, according to an order thereof, and an object display control step of placing the one or more objects, which correspond to the one or more symbol images displayed on the second display area, respectively, at predetermined positions, with which the order of the one or more symbol images is associated, in a virtual space, and displaying the one or more objects on the first display area.
An example of the display control method of the present invention is a display control system for simultaneously displaying one or more objects on a first display area, and one or more symbol images, which correspond to the one or more objects, respectively, on a second display area, the display control system includes symbol image display control means for displaying the one or more symbol images on the second display area, according to an order thereof, and object display control means for placing the one or more objects, which correspond to the one or more symbol images displayed on the second display area, respectively, at predetermined positions, with which the order of the one or more symbol images is associated, in a virtual space, and displaying the one or more objects on the first display area.
According to the present invention, the positional relationship of the one or more objects can be clearly displayed.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.